Sabah Pakatan Rakyat launched its shadow budget yesterday, providing low-income Sabahans a glimpse of how their livelihood can change if Pakatan were to implement its policy of paying the state 20 percent in oil royalty. According to Sabah PKR secretary Dr Roland Chia (right), Putrajaya currently pays the state RM800 million annually in oil royalty, and a 15 percent increase will bring the amount to RM3.2 billion. "Last year, the state budget was RM4 billion. With the additional oil royalty, we are looking at RM7.2 billion. These additional funds would be channelled back to the people," said Chia when contacted. Chia explained that the shadow budget's goal was to showcase Pakatan's proposals that aim to increase disposable income and improve the socio-economic status of Sabahans. Among others, the shadow budget outlined a free tap water scheme for the first 20 cubic metres, RM200 gratitude scheme for senior citizens, removal of the cabotage policy, setting up Sabah TV to give provide airtime for Sabah's cultural products, funds for increased environmental protection and improving Sabah's infrastructure.

"The theme is merakyatkan ekonomi, kebangkitan Sabah. Sabah is a land full of resources. It has oil, gas and fertile land. But yet, but yet it is the poorest state because of mismanagement," said Chia, in explaining the overall direction of the shadow budget. 'Caring government's budget' State DAP chief Jimmy Wong said that the shadow budget showed how Pakatan can establish a "caring government" and it will help Sabahans evaluate the budget that will be tabled by Chief Minister Musa Aman tomorrow. "We want to show what it really means to have a 'People-friendly budget' where we want to show rakyat didahulukan'," said Wong (left), taking a diat the prime minister's 1Malaysia: Rakyat didahulukan, pencapaian diutamakan slogan.

For Wong, a first-term state assemblyperson representing Sri Tanjong, the shadow budget adequately recognises the severe infrastructural problems in Sabah. "We experience, on average, 5,000 minutes of blackout time a year. Even in Sarawak, it is only 200 minutes. Our water is the most expensive in Malaysia, and is also the dirtiest. "That is why we need to give out 90 cubic metres of free water. A lot of illegals are stealing from the state water supplies. Locals should get it free, the legal way, just like in Selangor," he said. Free rice and cooking gas Sabah PAS commissioner Aminuddin Aling said that the shadow budget had a special mention for Muslims, of whom many are poor.

"Our offer (in the shadow budget) is a sponsorship for five people from each state constituency to perform the haj every year," said Aminuddin (right), adding that a selection mechanism has not been worked out yet. He said that for PAS, another important item in the shadow budget was the free rice and cooking gas scheme for households under the poverty line. The shadow budget outlined a provision of 20kg of rice and one tank of cooking gas a month for such households. The shadow budget was presented to the press at a function in Kota Kinabalu yesterday. Two MPs who recently quit BN - Wilfred Bumburing and Lajim Ukin - were invited to the event as well but they were unable to attend because they were attending the Dewan Rakyat sitting. The duo lead the Angkatan Perubahan Sabah and Pakatan Perubahan Sabah respectively. Both groups are aligned to Pakatan Rakyat.

PKR Sabah Secretary cum Central Council Member– Dr Roland Chia urged the local authorities not to resort to playing "blame games" especially when comes to serious flooding situation in the Penampang residential neighborhood. He was responding to the his visit after receiving complaints from the angry residents of, Taman Millenium Heights Phase 2, Jalan Bundusan, Penampang (esp in Lorong 2D) who are REALLY disappointed with the local authorities for their poor services and their complains have fallen into deaf ears . Some even have aguishly pointed out whether their elected and appointed representatives in the local authorities are sleeping in their jobs.

Over the last 5 years, many complaints have been filed and reported to the local authorities but unfortunately, NONE of them are solved till this day.

a. One of the major problems is, the serious flooding caused by clogged drains with stagnant water particularly in Lorong Millenium Heights 2D and the nearby houses. It gets worse with just a small amount of rain, not to mention when there is HEAVY rain, residents can BARELY see the road. Despite complains being forwarded to the local Daily Express Newspapers Forum, still no action taken.

b. Angry residents even contacted the Department Of Irrigation & Drainage Sabah to seek for their advice regarding the problem - the answer given is that they are not responsible for residential drainage.

c. Angry residents even contacted the local council and the answer was they too, are not responsible for the Residential Drainage!

To add salt into injury, these residential areas have become haven for breeding ground for aedes mosquitoes- which will attract the disease of Malaria to the neighborhood. Dr Roland Chia urged the authorities concern to look into the plight of the neighborhood as they are also responsible citizens who faithfully paying their assessments and rates to the councils concern. STOP PLAYING THE BLAME GAME- Dr Roland Chia urged the authorities.

PKR Central Council Member cum PKR Sabah Secretary – Dr Roland Chia Ming Shen criticised the announcement by the National oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) over their statement that an increase in "royalty" payments to states to 20% from current 5% will undermine its RM170 billion planned projects over the next five years and private sector investment in the oil and gas sector. The oil producing states involved are Sabah , Sarawak, Kelantan & Terengganu.

According to Dr Roland Chia, Petronas has a total asset of more than RM500 Billion is playing dumb that the fact that the stakeholders of the oil and gas in Malaysia are the Rakyat of Malaysia especially Sabahans, Sarawakians, Kelantanese & the people of Terengganu. Therefore it is imperative for Petronas to fullfill her Corporate Social Responsibility to return back tangible development to the states by the increase of oil royalty.

For eg Sabah, the estimated 20% oil royalty excluding gas for 2013 will only be RM3.2 Billion, that is only less than 1% of the Petronas total asset of RM500 Billion. If Petronas can spend building expensive Private Hospital like Prince Courts Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur over the cost of more than RM500 Million, whom over the years has been suffering losses , building and financing Malaysia F-1 Circuits in Sepang in the tunes of hundred of millions to feed the taste and lifestyle of the rich and famous, then something is not right with her priority in their corporate social responsibilities to their stake holders.

The inability of PETRONAS Board of Directors to commit to the increase of royalty hike is reflecting their failure of managing the company. If they are unable, then it will be wise for them to resign and allow Pakatan Rakyat leaders to take over the management and fullfill what has been offered by Pakatan Rakyat in the Buku Jingga –Manifesto of 20% hike in Oil Royalty to oil producing states. To add salt into injury, there is no Sabahans sitting in the highest decision making board of directors , and that is an insult for Sabah who is one of the biggest contributor to oild and gas to PETRONAS coffers.

Give it to PAKATAN RAKYAT – and we will show you how to increase profitability and at the same time giving 20% oil royalty back to Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan & Terengganu.

The UMNO/BN Sabah State Government has failed to look into the welfare of the families whose relations have passed on in life. Dr Roland Chia – PKR Sabah Secretary said this during his participation in the Gotong Royong with the local residents in clearing and cleaning up the TANAH PERKUBURAN ISLAM PRINTING, KEPAYAN (TAMAN FIRDAUS), Jalan Kapayan.

The present site is overcrowded and the State Government has yet to approve the adjacent piece of land for the local residents to expand the present cemetery. According to a local resident, they received many urgent requests even from outstation for their relations to be buried there in view of the vicinity to the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The local residents have to rely on volunteers to undergo clearing work without any government aid. In addition to that, they have to folk out from their pockets in carrying out burials of their deceased loved ones.

The residents could just envy the welfare programmes introduced by the Selangor State Pakatan Rakyat Government whereby under the Mesra Usia Emas Skim (SMUE). An aid of RM2500 to be given to the families of the deceased to assist in the expenses of burial and other miscellaneous costs incurred during this bereaved moment. This is part of the Peoples' Economy introduced by the Pakatan Rakyat State Government.

The failure of the BN Government in providing adequate public transport system in the state and country has resulted in more and more young Malaysians to fall into debt and eventually become bankrupt. 25% of loan defaulters are actually derived from car loans. "The highest number of bankruptcy cases involved those between the age of 35 and 44 years old with 37, 493 cases recorded (32 per cent) followed by those between 45 and 54 years with 30, 910 cases (27 per cent),"According to Dr Roland Chia Ming Shen – PKR Central Council Member cum PKR Sabah Secretary.

As a result of poor public transport system in the country, cars are widely viewed as necessity rather than a luxury. This resulted in more and more of Malaysians resorted to take out hefty car loans which directly takes out a chunk of the average house hold income. The average household debt is currently at 76% of their monthly income.

Currently the excise duties of 75% to 105% are imposed on passenger cars. The excise are passed on to end consumers who ends up paying inflated prices for cars unlike those in the region. For eg- a 1.5 litre Toyota Vios with full specifications retails at RM89,000 in Malaysia where in Thailand it costs around RM64,000.

This is the result of the years of local automotive players have enjoyed a very cosy existence- across the supply chain, car companies to end financier who have enjoyed fat margins and keeping the car prices at unreasonable prices.

Insolvency Department has handled 241,740 bankruptcy cases until April this year and the bulk of them were due to vehicle hire purchases.They were 116,379 bankruptcies since 2005, with 29, 338 (25 per cent) comprising those who defaulted on car loans. Other causes of bankruptcy include personal loans (13 per cent), housing (12), business (11) corporate loans (five), credit card debts (five), income tax debts (one) and student loans.

The staggering number was revealed by BN Minister himself in Parliament in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz during the question and answers session in one of the Parliament sittings.

Therefore , this is the very reason why Pakatan Rakyat is committed to reduce car prices by tendering out APs (Approved Permits) to the public rather than handling out to certain quarters and cronies. In addition to that, PR is committed to slash down excise duties on cars. Such measures from Pakatan Rakyat has been supported by various automotive association groups in the country- Dr Roland Chia added.